


No Longer So Complicated

by afteriwake



Series: Stuff Of Improbable Legends [100]
Category: Elementary (TV), Georgina Kincaid Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: Beekeeping, Conversations, Developing Relationship, Eventual Sherlock Holmes/Georgina Kincaid, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Kiss Of The Hand, POV Sherlock Holmes, Planning For A First Date, Relationship Discussions, Relationship Out of Order, Sherlock Holmes and Bees, Step Forward, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, deep thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 09:31:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9715526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: For some time now, Sherlock and Georgina have been more than friends with benefits but not in a relationship. Whenever asked, the answer is some variation of "it's complicated." But today, a discussion of beekeeping and it's patron saint prompts Sherlock to consider making things a little less complicated from here on out.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sideofrawr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sideofrawr/gifts).



> And finally, after I have _no_ idea how long, Sherlock is finally asking Georgina out on a proper date. And, for anyone who notices I used a chunk of "[To Love Is To Place Our Happiness In The Happiness Of Another](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6615661)" in this fic, means tonight they're actually going to have their first _real_ kiss ( _finally_ , **sideofrawr** ).

“Did you know Saint Valentine is not only the patron saint of love, but also beekeeping?” Sherlock said as they headed to the roof.

“I’ve heard that,” Georgina said with a smile.

“I had thought you might,” he replied. “Can I at least surprise you with the fact that he’s also the patron saint of epilepsy and the plague?”

“The plague I knew but epilepsy is a new one,” she said, laughing. He grinned at her as he opened the door to the roof and went to go look at his hives. In his time in New Orleans, the original hive had flourished and he’d had to split them into two, introducing a new queen to the second hive. It had been a bit of a tricky business, but Georgina had been quite interested, much in the same way Watson had, and it had been nice to share the interest with someone else.

It was, actually, nice to share many things with someone else. He had long ago stopped wishing so ardently that Watson would come here, though it did seem especially harder towards the end of the last year, when memories of the explosion at the old complex in Lawrence and his near death had come back to the surface, when he remembered being nearly burnt alive. When he remembered being able to see nothing much of the fight in the graveyard from his hospital room except ominous colours in the sky and drastic changes in the weather, and it wasn’t until he had spoken to James Kirk he learned the full extent of the aftermath. Then the demons that chased him got closer to his heels, and his world seemed darker.

But his friends...they had helped. He was astute enough to know it was not just James going through things in that household, but whenever he texted Rose, she would reply and come see him, practice sticks with him or spar with him at St. Anne’s or otherwise distract him. Endeavour would invite him to Greaves House, a place he hadn’t known well in Lawrence, and they would sit and listen to opera and have a cuppa and a good meal. Sometimes Prentiss would join them and discussions would turn to old cases, while all three were careful to avoid the painful ones. Ashurst would come by with Crichton’s dog and threaten to haul him up by his bootstraps if he didn’t join her for a walk, and they would walk in silence punctuated occasionally by commands given to the dog, stopping at Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee, where he would give her gossip on those she left behind in the NOPD. He had taken up archery again with Allison and Armand and would go for twice a week sessions at the grounds of the Academy, finding a sense of peace in destroying a perfectly good target. Sometimes Allison would even allow him to print out pictures of Jamie to put in the center, which always helped improve his mood.

But for all they did, he knew that it was the simple presence of Georgina at night that did the most good. He had never been one for caring to share a bed; most of the time shagging for him was something that fueled a biological need and made his thinking sharper. There was no emotional attachment and thus no reason for anyone to stay the night. But from the start, his arrangement with Georgina had been different. If he wanted to be poetic, it seemed as though two lost souls somehow ended up here and began a conversation about tea, and many months later led to a day honoring the saint of beekeeping on his roof watching as they determined whether they needed to expand the hive yet again.

“It is getting a bit crowded,” Georgina said, looking at the newer hive. Then she moved over to the first. “You haven’t had any dead bees in the first hive, with _euglassia watsonia_ , have you?”

“None more than is typical,” he said. “The few that die due to fluctuations in temperature, and the few that die when I collect the honey. Otherwise, the hives are healthy. Both hives, in fact.” He went to look at the second hive. “Though you are right. We could start a third hive from this second. It would mean more honey for you to use at Emerald City.”

“The customers do love it,” she said with a smile as she straightened up. “So these are our hives now?”

“You’ve put quite a bit of work into them,” he said. “I want to share them with you. Among other things.”

“Are you asking me to stay here?” she asked quietly.

“I would like that, yes,” he said. “You’re here often enough and I have the feeling Crichton is using every opportunity he can to entice Ashurst into moving into his home, meaning you’d be at the flat by yourself. But I understand your need for space and freedom.”

“You do,” she said, moving over to him. In the long time that he had been in New Orleans, he had made the roof a more comfortable place, with the hives acting as a showpiece. There was seating and tables and occasionally he had company up there, when the weather was nice. He moved towards the loveseat that he had set up when he wanted to observe the city as the sun rose, see it come up slowly over the rooftop, and Georgina followed. “We have spent a long time since we’ve been here saying we are not in a formal relationship, but we do not have dalliances with anyone else. When you need sexual energy, you come to me. When we need companionship, we go to each other. And yet we still hold ourselves apart.”

“I know,” she said quietly. 

He thought about what to say next. “I want the part of you that you refuse to give to anyone,” he said finally. “In return, I will give that part of myself to you, to do with what you want.”

“There’s more to it than that, though,” she said.

“I know. But as we have these devices on our wrist, you now have the option of choosing to leave this universe when I am no longer in it. You can go home, if you choose. You can forget all of this.” He reached over for her hand and gently caressed it. “But while we are here, I want something more.”

“I...do too,” she said quietly.

He could tell something had shifted between them, or was shifting. And he didn’t mind, to be honest. There could be worse people to be with. She was an amazing woman. Truly amazing, someone he enjoyed being around. Someone who bettered his life in many ways. And he enjoyed the way she made him feel.

He could, possibly, love her.

He wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure he was capable of it, but she was someone who he cared for greatly. He hadn’t felt like this since Jamie. He just wasn’t sure he could do this again. But for Georgina, he would be willing to try.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, bringing him out of his head.

He pulled her hand up to his lips, kissing her palm. “I think we should go out on a date,” he said slowly.

She smiled at him widely. “I’d like that,” she said.

“Should we indulge the patron of love and try for something tonight?” he asked.

She nodded. “I think that might be nice.”

“Good. Then it’s settled,” he said with a nod. And then, instead of rushing off to do one thing or another, he sat there, content to linger in the moment. It was a great step forward...one he hoped was not a mistake.


End file.
